November 24, 2013

With three losers over at Redemption Island, it's time to bring back the truels to see who sticks around. As usual, there's use grappling hooks to collect bags, remove balls, and then they have to navigate a ball through a table maze. It's tense as the balls teeter around on edges and fall through holes, sending you back to the beginning. Tina is the frontrunner until her ball falls right by the center. Vytas wins the duel, then Tina catches up for second. Aras is eliminated from the game, becoming the first jury member, but not before Probst can run a little therapy session for the brothers. As winner of the truel, Vytas gives Katie the hidden immunity idol clue and FINALLY someone doesn't burn the clue. The clue writer of the season is behind the scenes crying tears of joy.

Katie needed that immunity clue like whoa and heads into the jungle to read her clue. Except there's nothing there cause Tyson's got it, yo! The rest of the tribe wants to hide all the sharp tools so she can't dig, because they're eleven years old. Meanwhile, Laura is riding high and not even considering the idea that people would want to take out the pair. Ciera knows they're going to be a target so she pulls aside her mom for a straight-talk. She's pretty honest and believes she has a better chance of winning (or getting to the end) than her mom. Laura seems pretty cool with it because clearly she knows she's awful at this game. But the show tortuously drags this on for ages. So knowing she's possibly next, Laura follows Katie into the jungle to try and find the clue too. Tyson wants the guys to vote off Laura so Ciera doesn't have to do the dirty work off voting off her mom (and Ciera's totally cool with it).

For immunity this week, all the survivors have to stand on a bitty platform while holding a knotted rope, progressively losing rope length. The same crap as any other season. Along with a sweet immunity necklace, the winner gets burgers, hot dogs, french fries, and soda. You had me at french fries. The men go quick, then some ladies. Monica and Tyson are the final two, and Monica wins immunity again. It's the first of her all episode and her silence has been golden for me. Monica forgoes all her grub and gives it to her tribe because "immunity means more to me" and they're her "family." Politics or love, everyone shoves their faces with the most delicious looking burgers ever.

A snake slithers around the shelter while the tribe is actually there- it's not stock footage! Ciera tells Katie about the plans for the night to eliminate her mom. Katie claims she has the idol, Ciera says no cause I have it, so Katie folds. Ciera uses this knowledge to her advantage, hoping this could be a way to save her mom. Tyson realizes by telling Ciera the plan, he blew it. Ciera's playing the game too and they got caught. Katie is a safe option to get rid of, especially since she definitely doesn't have the idol, but Tyson still wants Laura gone.

Tribal Council time! Katie was relieved to get the immunity idol clue this week. Probst points out that there is still one pair remaining in the game, which could be a concern. Caleb says they're less threatening as a pair because both would turn on each other to win. Laura believes it's an asset to keep her, because they're two votes instead of one. Her other lame argument is that the duos will fight for jury votes for their loved ones (eyeroll). The votes are cast and no immunity idol is played, obvs. Laura gets her second trip to Redemption Island as the tribe decides to eliminate the last of the pairs.